


Channel 5: Life's a TV Show

by HQ_TMTVs (AHandWriter)



Series: Tune In [6]
Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: Adulthood, Adults, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Character Study, Cigarettes, Domestic, Escapism, F/M, Good times and bad times bc that's what life is like, Growing Up, Hotels, Loneliness, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phone Calls & Telephones, Proprietress Six, Puns & Word Play, Rain, References to Canon, Smoking, Snippets, Song Lyrics, Spoilers, Swearing, Symbolism, TV Producer Mono, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, Tarsier Studios why must you play with our feelings this way?, Television, The games are childhood nightmares/fears/"warped" perceptions of events, They have problems but they try to get by, Work sucking out a bit of your soul
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:02:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29641323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHandWriter/pseuds/HQ_TMTVs
Summary: "No, love, loveDon't come easyBut I keep on waitingAnticipatingFor that soft voiceTo talk to me at nightFor some tender armsTo hold me tightI keep waitingI keep on waiting (Ooh, until that day)But it ain't easyIt ain't easy"- "Channel 5 Intro Theme", excerpt of "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq_TX5ZR0rU)-----------------------------------------------------------------Short episodes set in an alternate universe of the Little Nightmares series where two of the protagonists are adults dealing with problems and other things from the past, present, in reality, and in their minds.
Relationships: Mono/Six (Little Nightmares), The Lady/The Thin Man (Little Nightmares)
Series: Tune In [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053683
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	1. Bad Dreams Are Made of This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who am I to disagree?"  
> \-------  
> Mono has a nightmare, but at least he has Six with him.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

The heavy footsteps on the wooden floorboard echoed in Mono's ears. He tried to move his legs, but to him, it was as if the whole world had suddenly slowed down to a crawl. He knew that the monster was right behind him, and in a sudden mix of curiosity and dread, he dared to look at it: it was a shadowy figure, so tall that it nearly reached the ceiling. He ran toward and jumped onto a box, then to a hastily boarded doorway, climbing up the wooden boards. The figure's presence was close — so close that he could feel its dark eyes boring into him.

He leaped off the topmost board, landing on the concrete floor. When he crouched past a few pipes, the feeling of dread disappeared, though he knew it wasn't over yet. He crawled up and into another passageway, then he heard a faint voice singing, perhaps from a TV set somewhere.

_Thud. Thud. Thud…_

Why _was_ the shadowy figure chasing him? It was as if he were a child again, being followed by a creepy stranger, and strangers, of course, were the ones he knew to stay away from. At the same time, however, there was something eerily familiar about his pursuer, though he couldn't exactly pin down why.

As he crawled underneath the floorboards, he stopped right below the edge of an overhead hole.

The footsteps stopped, and at once, he held his breath.

The figure peered down the hole, twitching unnaturally as it looked for him. It had a gray face like a corpse, and on top of the figure's head was a dark gray hat. Mono hugged his own body, trying his best not to tremble and rattle the plank he was crouching on.

The face turned to stare at him. He wanted to scream and run, but his muscles were stiff from fear. A few agonizing seconds passed, yet it seemed as if the face had forever lingered within his view: unmoving and uncaring about his impending fate.

 _Why_ did it look so familiar?

Before he could do anything, he felt his body — which, for some reason, was _so_ small — suddenly being lifted by an unseen force. When he found himself in the tight clutches of the figure's hand, he tried to squirm away, but the grip was too much.

He screamed.

* * *

_"Mono…"_

What… What was that echoey voice in the darkness?

_"Mono… !"_

The voice was getting louder as if it was trying to reach out for him. But how did it know his name?

_"Mono!"_

It was so close —!

"MONO!"

"GAH!"

He felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him awake. In the darkness of the bedroom, he saw Six sitting up on their bed, her eyes wide and lip trembling. Her hair was in disarray, a contrast to her usual refined bun that she wore while she was out to greet and observe the guests during their stay in the Maw.

"You scared me, Mono!" she said, wiping off sweat from his forehead. "What happened? Was it a bad dream? You were moving around and kicking me in your sleep!"

"Six…" he muttered groggily. "Wha… where…"

"It's okay, it's okay. You're just in the bedroom in our home that we also like to call the Maw. You know, the best luxury submarine hotel and buffet in the world!" She giggled; it made him smile whenever she made a joke, and it showed a side to her the guests didn't often see. Or anyone else, really. But he could tell that it was a nervous giggle, that she was trying to cover up being worried for him. He knew how to read Six, it being a skill he had learned to hone over many years.

He sat his lanky body up on the pillows and rubbed his fingers on his temples. "It felt so damn real too…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He sighed. "Maybe, Six, but —"

"Tell me, Mono. You're not the only one who has nightmares sometimes."

He sighed again: though he was usually the one who would worry about Six, once _she_ became worried, it was only a matter of time that she would demand what the issue was. Still, it was touching, to say the least.

"Y'know those dreams where you get chased?"

"Yes, Mono."

"Because I've had one of those again, and it's almost always the same. Like I was a little kid tryin' to get away from a monster."

"A monster?"

He reached and turned on the lamp on their bedside table, and he was relieved to find an old, worn-out fedora sitting there. Though he had several others like it, it was one of the first ones he had ever gotten — of all the hats Mono had been fixated with as a young boy, he considered fedoras to be very special, as he was told that they were one of the coolest hats the adults could ever wear. The day he finally received his first fedora was the day he thought himself to be a man, an adult that could do whatever they want.

Of course, that wasn't how it turned out to be, as he still had to face problems not only as a child but as an adult as well.

"The monster looked a lot like me, Six, 'cept that it looked like me when I'm —" Mono paused, the image of the shadow figure still evident in his mind. He really didn't want to tell Six, but the worried look in her eyes said otherwise.

"When you're what?"

"When I think I'm dead."

He looked at Six, who had her hand to her mouth: clearly, she wasn't expecting that for an answer.

"You were running from a living corpse… that looked like you?"

He reached for his fedora and adjusted it on his head. "Damn bastard even had this on, Six. There was no way it could've been anythin' else." He then wrapped his arm around her, and instead of pushing him away, she let him into a one-armed embrace. "I was all alone with that monster, Six, and I think I was tryin' to look for you."

She didn't say anything, so he continued on. "But I don't wanna think of myself as a monster too, Six. I really don't."

This time, she sighed. "I understand, Mono. But at the same time, it's the truth. All of us start out as children, naive about the world around us, thinking it must be a wonderful place to frolic and play in. But then… we age, and soon we learn that the world isn't that simple after all. You and I know this very well, Mono. Maybe _too_ well, I may add."

He nodded, impressed at her insight. Between the two of them, she was probably the one who learned how the world operated very quickly. "You're damn right about somethin', Six."

She nodded as well, then turned over in their bed, pulling the blanket toward her side. "Are you ready to go back to sleep?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now be a dear and turn off the light, Mono."

He removed his fedora and placed it on the bedside table before turning the knob of the lamp, darkening the bedroom. He tugged on the blanket to his side so he could cover his body as well, then laid his head on a pillow before closing his eyes.

_"Sweet dreams, TV Head."_

At that, a smile involuntarily formed upon his sleeping face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This episode references "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics.
> 
> \-------
> 
> Take your heart, Persona 5 said; break your heart, Little Nightmares 2 said.
> 
> Anyway, the endings of Little Nightmares 2 got me right in the feels, which I assumed to have happened to everyone else that played and finished the game. As a result, I was inspired to write this AU after thinking over theories and other things. It also kind of sucked when I heard about Tarsier Studios' recent decision to move onto other IPs, though a part of me thought about seeing a silver lining to that (is The City of Metronome finally coming around?).
> 
> Unrelated to that, but was there a reason the game was released on February 11, near Valentine's Day? Because it seemed too much of a coincidence for a few certain Valentine's Day images to be released not long after the 11th. (At least for me.)
> 
> I'm afraid we've come to the end of our time, but at least there's more to this Channel than just this episode. Stay tuned!


	2. In Our Solitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " … Send back my love."  
> \-------  
> Being alone in the Pale City does not do wonders for Mono.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this episode, as well as any potential future episodes, contains depictions of characters smoking. That being said, I don't endorse it, but they have their own reasons for doing so.

"Hey."

It was the standard greeting between him and Six and no one else. Not "Hi" or "Hello," but a simple "Hey." Even when they were children, they often said this word to each other — a trust password of sorts.

Mono was at a payphone in the Blue Hotel lobby, which was once prestigious until a strange incident made one of its staff members — a bellman known only as Mr. Waxen — leave after an intense argument, rendering it a second-rate establishment. He didn't know the full details, but he knew that it eventually became the source of inspiration for one of the episodes of a TV show made by the Pale City Broadcasting Corporation.

Now _that_ he knew very well since he was the producer of that show, despite his opinion. In his own words, it was all "kinda a half-assed attempt at drama," especially after the editors meddled with it.

"Hey, Six, I just wanted to say…"

There was a crackle of static, and he muttered a quick "damn it" — it was one of the downsides to telecommunications to and from the Maw. But at least it didn't take long for him to hear her voice, though it was weak and distant due to the poor reception.

"… can't hear you well."

"Just wanted to say that I'm doin' fine, Six. And that I can't head home soon."

A silence. Mono briefly wondered if the phone was on the fritz again, but he was somewhat relieved of his suspicions once he heard a tired sigh from the other end. "Is it one of your projects?"

"Yeah, it seems that my work just keeps pilin' up. It's not lookin' too good, but I try to get by."

"Have you thought about taking a break, Mono, even for just a little while?"

That gave him pause. For much of his life, Mono was often considered to have a one-track mind: a person that, once he set his mind onto something, won't stop until he reached his goal. Even as a grown man, he tended to keep precisely one task at the forefront of his mind until he completed it.

"C'mon, Six, you know me when it comes to —"

"For once, Mono, think about something other than work!"

It was rare to hear her yell, it being almost out-of-character — hell, it was even _expected_ that she didn't break from her quiet, stoic demeanor in front of anyone. But Mono knew it was just a facade, a figurative mask to hide Six's true self that she only revealed to him.

"Listen —"

"No, Mono."

"Damn it, Six, you know that I need my job as much as you do, as much as it sucks the soul outta me at times."

"Then why don't you come home? You know how much you hate to be alone, Mono, especially when it relates to your work."

That did it for him, and he slammed the phone down, ending the call. He didn't need a reminder that he was alone in the Pale City, so far away from Six. Sure, the Maw never stayed in the same place in the sea but knowing that fact didn't lessen the blow of being away from her.

Mono reached into one of his pockets, feeling around until he pulled out a lighter and a box of cigarettes. He flicked the lighter on, but before he could light a cigarette, he heard a stern voice pipe up nearby.

"Take it outside, sir; you know you can't smoke inside the premises. The sign says it."

It was the receptionist, an old woman with graying hair sitting behind the front desk. Her eyes were peering over her glasses, and she was glaring at him. Mono looked in the direction her hand was pointing, which was toward a sign that read:

"NO SMOKING INSIDE BUILDING"

He stuffed his lighter and cigarettes back into his pocket in a huff, then walked through the opaque glass doors, where he was met with the sight of light rain falling onto the poorly-lit night streets. The frequent rainfall was a constant for the Pale City, to where most of its residents agree it to be one of its defining characteristics. Though outsiders would complain about how it made the place dreary and depressing, it was just a fact of life for the locals, having lived with it for several years.

Mono sat on a bench underneath the awning overhead of the hotel's entrance, once again taking out his lighter and cigarette box. This time, he lit a cigarette and puffed, inhaling a cool, sweet scent that filled his nostrils.

* * *

Outside the awning's relative safety, the raindrops' pattering reminded Mono of the familiar murmur of TV white noise. It eased him, more so than the menthol flavoring; in fact, it was often said (as stupid as it sounds) that he was more or less "in tune" with anything remotely related to television, that he had a particular affiliation with it to an extent. After all, his love and affinity for TVs and TV shows since he was a boy provided him a sense of comfort during times of loneliness. It followed him into adulthood, quickly landing him a job in the Pale City Broadcasting Corporation.

But the bitter truth of his attachment to television was that it was just an illusory entertainment medium that provided him an escape. Though it made him laugh, cry, and feel a dozen other emotions, it could never fully replicate the fact of reality. Hell, he could even say it made his loneliness even worse.

Mono puffed on his cigarette again. Did Six feel the same way? She was always a strong girl, and now that she was a grown woman — and his wife, no less — he wondered if much had changed. Six, too, was alone for a part of her life, perhaps even more so considering that she was an orphan that had to scrape by and make difficult decisions just to survive. In short, it was an admirable trait of hers, being independent.

But just how much did Six keep up with appearances? That was a question he couldn't fully answer, as much as he claimed to read her well. It was almost a sort of competition between them at times, with her putting on a mask and him trying to decipher what's behind it. But there were also times when she let down her guard, moments where she revealed her true self.

Which mostly happened when they were together.

Mono plucked the cigarette from his mouth and placed it in the middle of an ashtray, its burning end still a glowing red. He returned to the lobby, tipping his fedora to avoid the receptionist's gaze, and made his way toward the elevators, pressing one of the up buttons. After he waited for a few seconds, one of the elevator doors slid open, and he went inside.

Once he arrived on the fifth floor, the elevator opened, providing him a view of a long hallway with walls covered with a faded yet tacky blue wallpaper. He stepped outside the elevator, his shoes striking the carpet with muffled _thuds_ as he walked toward one end of it.

Room 516.

Retrieving the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door to his room. After he closed and locked it, he removed his fedora and suit jacket, placing them on an unruffled bed. Mono then sat on a chair by his desk, the only area in the room that was not tidy. On top of it were scattered scripts, one of which he picked up.

_A Little Nightmare_.

It was an eerie title, one that gave Mono pause. He turned to the next page, humming a three-note tune to occupy himself as he pored over the rest of the script.

Unbeknownst to him, a few miles away from the Pale City and within the Maw, Six hummed a similar, albeit higher-pitched, three-note tune as she brushed her hair before a mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This episode references "(In My) Solitude" by Duke Ellington, with one version being sung by Billie Holiday.
> 
> \-------
> 
> Headcanon: the three-note "humming sounds" in "The Man in the Hat" and "The Lady Circles"/"The Lady Humming" are another set of "trust passwords" between Mono and Six, mainly when they are adults. Don't believe me? Listen to those themes, because they have parts where you can hear someone voicing or humming a three-note motif.
> 
> Why does Mono smoke? The habit is based on the concept art for the Thin Man, in which he is depicted to take a smoke (one of them shows him sitting at a table with an ashtray with a lit cigarette nearby).
> 
> I'm afraid we've come to the end of our time, but there will be more episodes in the upcoming future. Stay tuned!


End file.
